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* The man who owns the “Giant Slide” at the Illinois State Fairgrounds is putting his possession up for sale…

A guy can have only so much fun with a Giant Slide.

At least that’s how Dennis Herrington, who has been sole owner of the Giant Slide at the Illinois State Fairgrounds since 1995, sees it.

He’s now 57 years old, has had health problems and has no children at home to help him operate the iconic structure just inside the Main Gate of the fairgrounds.

So he’s hoping to sell it before this year’s fair starts in August.

The asking price is $175,000.

The slide…

* The Question: What would you do with the Giant Slide?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:13 am

Comments

Move it to Missouri.

Comment by Old Milwaukee Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:15 am
Rename it the “James R. Thompson Giant Slide.”

Comment by Voice of Experience Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:15 am
To play off Old Milwaukee’s suggestion: Threaten to move it out of state and hold out for incentives to keep the jobs in Illinois. I would even orally agree not to cut the number of jobs below 0.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:17 am
Extreme bowling.

Comment by Anon #75 Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:18 am
Chain Blago to the bottom edge and let anyone who pays an appropriate fee slide into his hair. No more deficit!

Comment by What's in a name? Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:19 am
Have Mike Quade, Jim Hendry, Ozzie Guillen and Kenny Williams be the first to try it. The top platform will be marked “Opening Day” while the bottom of the slide will represent “Season’s End.”

Comment by Esquire Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:20 am
Since it brings bad memories for me - nasty break-up at the SF - I would pay the $175,000, tear it down and recycle it. Probably worth at least $500 in scrap!
Yes, I DO work for the state of Illinois!

Comment by lincolnlover Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:21 am
Finally. A toboggan run replacement! Put it in a nearby Cook County Forest Preserve, and wait for it to snow.

Comment by KeepSmiling Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:22 am
I’d have it installed inside the Capitol rotunda and charge the rail denizens a couple of bucks to slide down to the first floor instead of taking the elevator or the stairs. That would make session days a lot more fun, wouldn’t it?

Plus, there’s really no reason to stop on the 2nd floor anymore, so express service would be a money-maker.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:22 am
Funkyest Beer Bong ever!!

Comment by D.P. Gumby Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:25 am
There’s a “race to the bottom” joke in here somewhere, I just can’t come up with it.

Comment by Way Way Down Here Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:26 am
On November 4, 2014, all candidates for governor of Illinois climb to the top.

First one to the bottom is governor for the next four years.

Comment by Balance Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:28 am
Get some hose and turn Springfield into the Dells of Central Illinois

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:41 am
Take it to Vegas and see what the Pawn Stars will give him for it.

Rick: “I gotta have this slide. It’s a great piece of Americana and it represents a time when the State of Illinois wasn’t a laughingstock. But only if I can get it for the right price.”

Rick: “Look, we don’t get a lot of Giant Slides in here. I know a guy who’s an expert in this kind of thing. You mind if I call him in?”

Slide Guy: “Go ahead. I’d like to hear what he think’s it’s worth.”

“My name is Rod. I’m an expert on squeezing profit out of valued pieces of Illinois.”

Rick: “Hey Rod, how’s it going.”

Rod: “What’ya got, Rick?”

Slide Guy: “Well, I have the Giant Slide from the Illinois State Fair.”

Rod: “Didn’t I shut that thing down?”

Chumlee: “No, that was DNR.”

Comment by Peter Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:51 am
==“No, that was DNR.”==

Tragedy in the comedy there.

Comment by Way Way Down Here Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 11:59 am
Ride McCarter’s Pig down that bad boy!

Comment by Highland, IL Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:01 pm
Run an underground gambling ring taking bets on the fastest Hotwheels car.

Comment by SirLankselot Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:10 pm
A shot at the top.
A chaser at the bottom.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:16 pm
Install slot machines at the top. Create lanes. Let’s say there will be five of them. Each person pulls the handle on the machine, then slides down. If you hit three slides on your turn (custom slot machines of course) then you get a free ride. There would be a green light or some sort of indicator at the bottom of your lane if you had won.

Comment by Gambling Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:17 pm
The State should buy it, and institute year-round races on it. Then legalize gambling on the slide races, and allow every ATM machine in Illinois to be used for placing bets. And voila, state fiscal crisis solved in no time!

Comment by Don't Worry, Be Happy Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:23 pm
The state should buy it. Attach it to the capital and we could have a re-enactment of the Lincoln days for Sen. McCarter when session days go into the “wee wee” hours.

Comment by Just say'n.... Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:27 pm
It would be cool at a skate park.

Comment by 46 and 2 Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:30 pm
a chart showing IL debt obligations. Of course, you’d have to view it backwards.

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:32 pm
Biggest pinewood derby race ever. With life sized cars.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:38 pm
Free rides,

…Sponsored by the Illinois Chiropractic Association.

Comment by Newsclown Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:46 pm
Make every member of the GA run up it one time for each $1 million spent annually in excess of actual revenue.

Comment by Easily Entertained Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 12:56 pm
Put a toll transponder bracket above the slide halfway down, make sure an I-Pass is attached to your Potato Sack and just collect tolls to pay off the state’s debt.

Also, above the slide, have a sign that reads “Illinois Potato Sack Tollway - Rod R. Blagojevich, Felon”

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 1:02 pm
Put it at the Sherman exit where it can be seen from the interstate. Put a sign at the top “Illinois in 1990.” Put a sign at the bottom “Illinois in 2011″ Put a sign in the middle, “What happens when one man controls everything in state government.” The MJM Slide.

Comment by Irish Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 1:17 pm
New east side exit to the Capitol…

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 1:36 pm
One word: motocross.

Rich, wasn’t there a famous photo of Big Jim on this thing? Begs for caption contest.

Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 1:38 pm
Lay it on its side to form the “Yellow Monster” in a refurbished Wrigley Field.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 1:39 pm
YDD, I think that’s the winner. Well played.

Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 1:49 pm
Slide

Comment by Tom Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 2:09 pm
Send it to Wrigleyville as a fun way for the Cubs to slide down the standings.

Comment by Ron Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 2:10 pm
I’d sell in to Big Jim for a cool million. BTW, what is worth more a duck decay or Capone’s gun?

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 2:29 pm
I say we engineer a Carman Sandiego-esque heist and then make children learn geography with it.

Comment by Zero Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 2:42 pm
@just sayin -

Thanks. I was going to suggest a big “Juicy Fruit” logo, in honor of the park’s namesake and Sammy Sosa.

Think that’s pushing it?

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 5:05 pm
Toothpicks.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 5:15 pm
Use hemp instead of burlap bags to sit on…

Comment by waitress practing politics... Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 5:41 pm
Peter at 11:51 wins, no contest.

Comment by Not a Newcomer Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 5:49 pm
I concur Peter is the winner. But Chumlee; “Can I take a ride down it?” Big Hoss: “No, you’ll break it!”

Comment by 32nd Ward Roscoe Village Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 6:31 pm
For the schools that still take field trips to Springfield, this can be an educational tool.

“Okay children, We will walk to the top. This represents all the work and struggle your forefathers put into making Illinois a great state. Now, sit here on the edge, teetering at the height of prosperity.

As you slide down, this represents how the state’s economy has fallen far and fast, as well as the political system that runs it.

Unlike the real world, however, this slide stops, whether the real economy and our state govt. can not only stop, but reverse this trend is still an unknown.”

Comment by Concerned Voter Wednesday, Jun 22, 11 @ 7:22 pm